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rubenstein's review
1.0
http://theprettygoodgatsby.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/review-the-maid-and-the-queen-dnf/
Sigh. I was SO ready to love this book. I'm a huge fan of both biographies and history and, while I'm not very familiar with medieval France/Joan of Arc, I was very eager to read it and learn more.
Unfortunately, I was extremely misled by the title. The Secret History of Joan of Arc? Nope. More like, The Secret History of Every King, Queen, and Duke in Medieval Europe. In the introduction, the author mentions that Yolande of Aragon, Joan's biggest supporter, was born decades before Joan, so I wasn't expecting Joan to show up on the first page. I knew there would be some history prior to her birth, but I wasn't expecting it to take up the first half of the book. It wasn't until page 99 that Joan finally makes an appearance, and even then it's only sporadically; the story jumps right back to what various kings were up to.
The biggest strike against this book - and what ultimately led to its DNF status - interestingly enough wasn't the lack of the title figure. Instead, it was the writing. The author clearly spent her time researching. Unfortunately, her writing wound up being very dry; she had gone into painstaking detail recording every movement and action of the characters.
That's not to say the book wasn't interesting. There were parts I tore through and I'm pleased to say I learned quite a bit!
Sadly, despite my high hopes, The Maid and the Queen just wasn't for me.
Sigh. I was SO ready to love this book. I'm a huge fan of both biographies and history and, while I'm not very familiar with medieval France/Joan of Arc, I was very eager to read it and learn more.
Unfortunately, I was extremely misled by the title. The Secret History of Joan of Arc? Nope. More like, The Secret History of Every King, Queen, and Duke in Medieval Europe. In the introduction, the author mentions that Yolande of Aragon, Joan's biggest supporter, was born decades before Joan, so I wasn't expecting Joan to show up on the first page. I knew there would be some history prior to her birth, but I wasn't expecting it to take up the first half of the book. It wasn't until page 99 that Joan finally makes an appearance, and even then it's only sporadically; the story jumps right back to what various kings were up to.
The biggest strike against this book - and what ultimately led to its DNF status - interestingly enough wasn't the lack of the title figure. Instead, it was the writing. The author clearly spent her time researching. Unfortunately, her writing wound up being very dry; she had gone into painstaking detail recording every movement and action of the characters.
That's not to say the book wasn't interesting. There were parts I tore through and I'm pleased to say I learned quite a bit!
Sadly, despite my high hopes, The Maid and the Queen just wasn't for me.
katieb_t's review
4.0
Interesting, and very dense, look at medieval history. While it focuses more on the aristocracy surrounding Joan of Arc, there is some of her story present as well.
beka_ray's review
4.0
I loved this as my first biography. It wasn't dry and was clear and relatively concise.
A full review will be forthcoming on my blog
http://talesfromabookaddict.blogspot.com/
A full review will be forthcoming on my blog
http://talesfromabookaddict.blogspot.com/
clairewords's review
3.0
It was interesting to learn of the role of Yolande of Aragon, her mother in law Marie of Blois and how women were used as pawns in the negotiation of peace between those detined to inherit these lands of Europe, so women were the peacemakers in more ways than one and Joan of Arc's way quite different from that of the nobility.
However, in between the things that interested me and stood out in terms of learning was some drudgery in trying to get through it. Actually, I ended up wishing that the story had been fictionalised so that at least we could enter the emotional lives of the women, which does so help in getting us through battles and conflicts.
I thought this story had so much potential, but it was really slowed down by the distance it kept from the charcters it represented, but then it was non-fiction, I just wish it had been a little more creative non-fiction.
Read my full review at'Word By Word'
However, in between the things that interested me and stood out in terms of learning was some drudgery in trying to get through it. Actually, I ended up wishing that the story had been fictionalised so that at least we could enter the emotional lives of the women, which does so help in getting us through battles and conflicts.
I thought this story had so much potential, but it was really slowed down by the distance it kept from the charcters it represented, but then it was non-fiction, I just wish it had been a little more creative non-fiction.
Read my full review at'Word By Word'
burningupasun's review
5.0
I actually finished this a week ago, but I have just not been in the mental place to write a review. I'm still not, tbh, but I don't like leaving this just sitting here, so. This was an incredibly interesting book that delved into a story most of us know-- Joan of Arc-- but from an angle I had never seen before. Rather than truly being about Joan or Arc, this story is about Yolande of Aragon, and how she made a place for Joan in the world and helped set up the events that lead to Joan of Arc's moment in history. It's an incredibly well written book, just the right balance of historical facts but also brilliant, almost fiction-like writing that keeps you invested. And my favorite quote:
"For those who wonder after reading these pages how it is possible that evidence of Yolande's involvement in the story of Joan of Arc has never before been adequately explored, I can only respond that there is no more effective camouflage in history than to have been born a woman."
"For those who wonder after reading these pages how it is possible that evidence of Yolande's involvement in the story of Joan of Arc has never before been adequately explored, I can only respond that there is no more effective camouflage in history than to have been born a woman."
tahlz's review
5.0
An amazing book that details the history of the 100 Years War in relation to France and Joan of Arc's influence - as well as Yolande of Aragon who has never been mentioned in ANY Joan book I've read (and I've read a lot). Was very surprised to learn that she had just as much influence on Charles as Joan did (maybe even more).
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